🐺 - Chapter One -

 

The sound of the pounding from his feet hitting the underbrush was nowhere near as loud as the sound of the blood pounding in his ears as he ran. The foliage had quickly swallowed the omega's form when he first entered the forest, but he couldn't take any chances. His parents didn't know he was gone yet, and he needed to put as much space between them and himself as quickly as possible. 

Baekhyun ran until he felt his feet starting to slip. The waterproof hiking boots had been a good choice, but the underbrush was overgrown and camouflaged how uneven the ground was in that area of the mountainous terrain. It was risky to slow down, but he couldn't afford to twist an ankle or fall, especially this early into his journey. It would only make his chances of getting caught that much greater, and his parents wouldn't care if he was limping at his own wedding.

 

Being betrothed against his will was enough of an insult. But it was even worse when he learned the alpha that he was to marry was an older man that had been cozying up to Baekhyun's father for years in an attempt to garner some sort of clout in the business world. The elder Byun was the vice-president of the largest bank in South Korea, and although the family was rarely in the public eye, Mr. and Mrs. Byun liked the status that wealth brought them. They knew that people kissed their feet and acted like they liked them because the family was rich, and this alpha was no different. Baekhyun had always hoped he could marry for love. He certainly didn't love this alpha, but his parents didn't care.

When Mr. and Mrs. Byun decided to go ahead with their usual visit to the Nishiyama Onsen the week before the wedding was supposed to take place, Baekhyun knew he had a chance. The family traveled to Japan twice a year; once to Tokyo to enjoy a major shopping spree, and once to the onsen to enjoy relaxing in the beauty-nourishing waters. The onsen was located at the base of the Japan alps, with the dense foliage just a few yards away from the back side of the main hotel. There were large communal baths and some smaller, more intimate baths, but the most expensive rooms had individually sectioned areas of the hot springs outdoors to the rear of each room. These were of course what the Byuns always booked when they came to visit the onsen each year.

The single room Baekhyun had been given at the hotel was next door to his parents, so the independent omega was allowed at least the freedom of privacy. Still, no matter where they were staying, his mother had a habit of always checking on him every morning, demanding that he speak at least a full coherent sentence through the door to her to prove he was alone and awake. Both things that the omega had begun to dread in the last few weeks. 

Fortunately Mr. and Mrs. Byun had opted to have their dinner without Baekhyun tonight and wouldn't check on him before they went to bed. This gave him time. The only decision had been how to slip away from the hotel.

After he bathed that morning the omega had taken a nice long soak in the hot springs connected to his room. As he looked around he realized there was a flaw in the wiring of the bamboo fencing surrounding the soaking area. The rocks lining the back of the soaking area were big enough for him to walk across, and the rocks next to the fencing hid the flaw. 

A few hours after lunch the Byuns had plans to participate in a tea ceremony along with a few of the other affluent guests of the hotel. Baekhyun begged to be excused, saying he would rather go back to his room to play games on his phone and order in for his dinner later. His parents scoffed at what they considered bad manners, but agreed. 

As soon as he got back to his room Baekhyun prepared to leave. He had a small survival kit in his belongings and the pair of snips in it had helped make the opening in the fencing behind his room big enough for the omega to fit through.

He wanted to get away quickly, but he took an extra minute to carefully bend the fencing back into place to make it look as normal as possible. Then he picked up his backpack, putting it on as he casually and quietly walked across the short clearing, and slipped into the woods.

Although he was an omega, Baekhyun kept himself in excellent shape. He knew his stamina wasn't as good as if he had been an alpha or even a beta, but that couldn't be helped. He was fully capable of carrying the mid-sized backpack he had brought with him on his escape. If wolves could shift like they did years ago, he could get further away at a faster rate, but it would be difficult to carry the backpack. He had dressed for the weather as well, so Baekhyun wasn't terribly concerned about becoming cold.

Since it was early spring, his parents hadn't thought anything of their son bringing his insulated hiking jacket. Baekhyun had actually been very deliberate in all the clothing he chose to pack for the trip to the Japanese onsen. Specifically chosen clothing and his suppressants were now carefully stored in the mid-sized backpack along with a thin blanket and a ziplock bag of wrapped pieces of cheese, slices of bread, and two hard boiled eggs that had been served at breakfast. Baekhyun had filled his thermos with warm tea earlier in the afternoon, and he had water purification tablets in his small survival kit. He could use those later if he needed to fill the thermos back up from the water in the multiple streams that ran through the Japan alps. One of the side pockets of the backpack also carried a plastic bottled water that had been complimentary at the hotel desk.

The early evening light filtered dimly through the trees. The omega counted to 100 in his head as he walked, staying as quiet as possible, picking his feet up quickly and taking care to not step in mossy areas that would show his footprints. 

But as soon as he finished 100 steps, Baekhyun took off in a sprint.

 

❍

 

🐺 - Chapter Two -

 

Since he worked out three times a week, his toned legs didn't protest much at first. Baekhyun was used to running and always ran at least 3 miles on the treadmill when he worked out at the gym. But he didn’t often run outside, and his swift pace began to slow a little as the terrain became rougher. There were several areas of sudden steepness, and the temperature seemed to be quickly dropping, reminding the omega that this was indeed the mountains. 

He paused to pull out his flashlight from the side pocket of his backpack. Gripping it carefully, Baekhyun turned it on then continued to navigate as quickly as he could up the hilly terrain in the advancing nighttime.

When he came to a large moss-covered boulder Baekhyun paused for a moment to pull out a small glow-in-the-dark compass and a folded map from the inside zipper pocket of his jacket. He set both down on a flatter spot on the rock and studied the map for a minute. 

The terrain map had been a secret purchase at the onsen gift shop. He couldn't use his phone for a map because he had chosen to leave his phone in his room. The omega knew the minute his escape was discovered his parents would have his phone traced and he didn't want to run the risk of being caught. With the phone left behind maybe they would think he had been kidnapped. He didn't care what they thought as long as he got away successfully. He had been on suppressants for a long time so keeping his emotions in check and his scent glands covered should make it harder to track his route, even if they did finally figure out he had left on foot. 

The watch on the omega’s arm showed it had only been about 40 minutes since he left his room. The compass and terrain map showed he had made more progress than he thought, but it still wasn't enough. 

Baekhyun planned to hike over the next two ridges and make his way towards Akaishi onsen. This was a lesser-known onsen located in a slightly more rural area. But there were a few hiking trails closer to that onsen so he could eventually enjoy smoother traveling. By his calculations the journey to the Akaishi onsen would take a little over 8 hours of constant travel. Baekhyun had found out there was a bus route that ran directly from there to a mid-sized city called Fujikawa. He had brought enough money to ride the bus and make it to the first stop in the city. From there he could walk to a train station. Baekhyun knew most cities in Japan had phone booths next to almost every train station and he planned to place a collect call to his cousin. Junmyeon would be happy to help him.

Baekhyun's thoughts drifted as he resumed climbing through the steep hillside. His parents had always despised his cousin, even though the soft-spoken man was a successful freelance photographer. They said Junmyeon had unrealistic aspirations to be a self-supported omega. When he proved them wrong they said they didn't like the world-traveling photographer putting ideas in their son's head about being strong and confident in that manner. Baekhyun didn't bother telling them that he was the one that gave his cousin the pep-talk that pushed the aspiring man to take the first step towards his goal. From early childhood the two omega had been each other's emotional support. Baekhyun knew Junmyeon would help him now. And the photographer was currently in Tokyo, so the timing was perfect.

A sudden thunderclap broke Baekhyun out of his reverie, making him jump. He slowed his pace a little to look upwards. Right on cue, a raindrop came through the treetops, dripping on his face. Apparently the omega had been so deep in thought that the rainstorm hadn't gotten his attention until now. The trees were dense enough that the rain wasn't falling heavily through the leaves where he currently was, but it would only be a matter of time before the steep ground would become slick with the rain flowing down from the higher parts of the mountain. 

Baekhyun checked his watch. About an hour-and-a-half had passed since he left the hotel. All daylight had almost completely gone and he needed to keep going, but the rain would slow him down. Determined, the omega gripped his flashlight a little tighter and resumed his brisk pace. 

The thunder didn't happen very often, but every time Baekhyun couldn't help jumping a little. He couldn't see the lightning well through the trees, but he didn't really want to since he wasn't fond of being in the inclement weather. Back home he always stayed indoors and away from windows whenever a thunderstorm was raging.

About the third time he jumped from a thunderclap, Baekhyun noticed a smell coming through the smells of the rain falling through the trees. It was subtle and warm. Calming. A unique combination of a bit of brown sugar mixed with roasted chestnut. Baekhyun sniffed the air deliberately. The smell was a little stronger to the right side of the direction he was currently taking.

The omega realized he had slowed down and his steps seemed to waver a bit. He stopped himself and shook his head vigorously, getting a hold of his senses. This wouldn't do. His plan was to get away from the area as quickly as possible and he needed to follow the plan. He squared his shoulders and aimed his flashlight up the hilly terrain. The first peak was within sight and the trees were thinner at the top. He would cross the peak and then find shelter in the trees on the other side of the clearing.

Baekhyun nodded to himself, his internal pep talk steeling his nerve. He stepped forward, continuing his trek and within a few minutes he easily reached the edge of the clearing. The rain had moved quickly away from the area, taking the thunder and lightning with it. Now the smell of brown sugar and chestnut smell seemed to become stronger and Baekhyun was intrigued. The smell was still to the right of him, but it was no longer leading away from the direction he intended to be going. 

At the ridge the trees thinned out and the underbrush became grassy with exposed rocks scattered across the area in random patterns. As he shone his flashlight across the clearing it seemed much wider than he originally thought and the open space felt imposing. Up until now he had been completely surrounded. Now Baekhyun didn’t want to leave the comfort of the trees.

The omega flinched as a large bird flew suddenly out from the treetops above him. The bird flew to the top of an exposed rock and then turned around. It seemed to be some sort of hawk and Baekhyun suddenly had an odd feeling the bird was watching him. He laughed at himself but couldn't help feeling a little uneasy. 

Baekhyun eyed the edge of trees surrounding the clearing. The thinner trees seemed inviting and the omega quickly made up his mind. Instead of walking across the open area he began weaving in and out of the trees along the edge, keeping an eye on his compass as he walked. 

About a minute later the large bird took flight again and Baekhyun couldn't help noticing, turning to watch it fly away. The light feathers on the underside of its wings stood out against the night sky, making it easy for the omega to see where it flew back into the treeline from where it had flown before.

The hawk lit on a thick branch that seemed lower to the ground than Baekhyun had remembered seeing before, but he was just glad the imposing bird didn't fly over to where he was. The omega turned back around to thread his way through the remaining trees and then carefully make his way into the thicker foliage following his planned path.

Baekhyun just missed how the branch the bird had settled on moved downwards and a hand came up to give the bird a small piece of raw meat. 

 

❍

 

🐺 - Chapter Three -

 

The underbrush was lush and new in this part of the mountains. It was fascinating to see the way that nature was opening up into the warmer spring months. The light from the flashlight pierced easily through the trees but not so easily in the areas Baekhyun was trying to see as he kept up his fast paced hiking. The daylight had been completely gone for a while now and the moonlight wasn’t filtering through the trees much so he was very glad to have the flashlight. Baekhyun also realized he was getting hungry.

He checked his watch. It had been almost 4 hours since he left the hotel. His parents would be finished with their dinner and probably heading to bed by now.

He hadn't eaten before leaving, wanting to not be slowed down by a full stomach. That stomach was now growling at him and the omega chuckled. He shone his flashlight around and saw an area with a few mid-sized rocks in an uneven pile just up ahead. Baekhyun pulled his backpack off as he got to the rocks and plopped down on the ground beside them. He opened his water and took a small drink then placed it back in the side pocket of his backpack. The brown sugar and warm chestnut smell from before was back again and it made him wonder but the omega shuffled that to the back of his mind. He pulled the bread and cheese out of his backpack and made himself a sandwich, munching on it as he studied the terrain map. By his calculations he was just under half of the way through his journey.

Finishing his sandwich, Baekhyun placed the map and compass back into his pocket, propped the flashlight against the rocks to give a partial light, then pulled out the thermos and poured himself some of the hot tea. As he sipped it the omega closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the rocks in satisfaction from the warm liquid soothing his throat and warming him from the inside. He instinctively felt like purring, and for some reason he seemed to hear the satisfied sound echoing slightly around him. The same appealing smell from before suddenly became stronger and Baekhyun's eyes flew open. The feeling was back like before when he thought the large bird was watching him in the clearing at the top of the previous ridge. The thoughts he had pushed back came forward and he couldn't help the feeling of being uneasy.

The omega grabbed the flashlight and whimpered a bit in fear. There was something going on he couldn't explain. 

As if in response to his whimper, the enticing smell seemed to slowly become warmer. This was strange and a little surprising to the omega, but he also felt calmer as the brown sugar and warm chestnut flooded his senses. As he calmed Baekhyun noticed he felt much more tired than he intended to be. Maybe it was from the adrenaline wearing off after his escape from the onsen. Maybe it was because of how quickly he had climbed in the mountains. Maybe it was because he was stressed. Whatever the reason, Baekhyun felt exhausted. He decided it would be better to rest here away from any trails so he would be less likely to be discovered.

Using his flashlight to look around he saw a large tree that had a small hollowed area at the base between the exposed roots that stretched into the ground. The hollow looked just big enough for the omega to curl into, and he quickly decided it would have to do for a short nap. Baekhyun closed the thermos and placed it back into his backpack then took out the thin blanket. He carried the blanket and backpack as he got up and went over to the tree, crouching down to inspect the ground before sitting down in the area. 

Baekhyun checked his watch again then set the backpack down and turned off the flashlight as he put it in the side pocket. He spread out the blanket over himself and curled up in the hollow, closing his eyes and laying his head on the backpack as a makeshift pillow. The sound of crickets and pattering of dripping leftover raindrops comforted him as he allowed himself to relax, breathing in the smell of brown sugar and warm chestnut just before drifting off.

 

Some time later, Baekhyun opened his eyes. Blinking blearily he raised his head from the backpack and looked around in the darkness. As he moved, he noticed his legs couldn't move freely. Confused, the omega pulled his flashlight from the side pocket of the backpack and turned it on with his hand partially covering it to shield the sudden brightness. He directed the light down his torso and his breath immediately quickened. Despite draping it loosely over himself earlier, the edges of the blanket were now tucked securely around his legs. Even in his half-awake state Baekhyun knew this had been done by someone other than himself. 

He sat up and moved his backpack to his lap as quietly as possible. The omega held the flashlight carefully, creating a partial light as he thought through the possibilities. 

It was possible he had been cold in his sleep and tucked the blanket around his legs more securely himself. But this wasn't likely, since he usually woke if he got cold. 

It was possible some passing hiker had taken pity on his situation and tucked him in carefully. The likelihood of this was slim, but not out of the question. 

It was possible his parents had discovered him missing, sent out scouts, he was discovered, and they had decided to toy with him. This wasn't likely either, since the elder Byuns would rather their son be aware of their scorn and ridicule whenever he tried to be independent.

Baekhyun wanted to believe it was the second option. But this wasn't a game show or a quiz in school. This was his life right now. In the middle of the woods in the Japan alps. Where he had chosen to be. So he had to be realistic.

And he also had to acknowledge it may be something else entirely. 

The smell from earlier had stayed in his mind. The brown sugar mixed with warm chestnut had an alluring quality about it. He actually wanted to smell it more. Baekhyun had never smelled himself, but the omega was shocked when he realized he was thinking it would be nice if his smell went well with brown sugar and chestnut.

Just realizing this thought had come unbidden to his mind forced Baekhyun into acknowledging one more thing.

The alluring smell was coming from an alpha. 

An alpha that the lone omega hiking in the woods was, for whatever reason, interested in.

 

❍

 

🐺 - Chapter Four -

 

Baekhyun sighed and pulled out the two hard boiled eggs from the ziplock bag in his backpack. He opened his thermos and drank the lukewarm tea, finishing it off as he washed down his meager snack while thinking through his situation. 

So he was being followed. And it was an alpha. But why hadn't the alpha revealed themselves? And what did the alpha want? 

The old ways of pack dynamics were hardly ever heard of these days. Unfortunately there were still some of the older generation such as Baekhyun's parents that talked of missing the way things used to be. They didn't approve of their son being a strong omega that wanted to be independent. All through school they had kept a close eye on him to "maintain the family name", but Baekhyun just saw it as a way for them to try to control him. He had no desire to be a wild and ty omega, doing things that would bring shame to himself and his family. He just wanted to be allowed to make decisions for himself. He deserved to have a say in his own life. 

But the truth was, right now, in these woods of the Japan alps, Baekhyun was an unaccompanied, unmated, unguarded, mature omega in his prime. All of these things meant he should be very scared for himself. He had put himself into this vulnerable situation. He should be ashamed of his actions. 

But he felt neither scared nor ashamed. He felt.. proud. He was being independent, he had prepared himself properly for this trek, and he was confident in his choices. All of these things added up to him also being proud of whatever alpha was following him. The alpha had kept their distance, even while following. They had not chosen to take advantage of the obviously vulnerable omega. And they had even made sure the omega was warm while he slept.

Having finished the eggs and tea, Baekhyun put his thermos back into the backpack. He then folded the blanket. He used the action of bending over his backpack as he put the blanket inside to hide the fact that he was smelling the blanket in the areas that had been tucked in around his legs earlier. As he suspected, the edges smelled strongly of brown sugar and chestnut, confirming his suspicions.

The alpha had touched the blanket.

The alpha had tucked the omega in while he slept.

With this realization, Baekhyun now had a whole new set of worries. Did the alpha mean to follow him the rest of his journey? This wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing if it meant protection. But protection from what?

Was the alpha wanting to lure him into a sense of safety just to jump him as soon as he let his guard down? Baekhyun was strong for an omega, but there was no way he would be able to deal with an alpha that was determined to have their way with him. He would be mounted and possibly even claimed and mated before he could do much to defend himself. And out here no one would hear him if he put up a fight. Being mated against his will was the main reason he was in this predicament to begin with.

Then again, he didn't know if maybe the alpha was already mated to another. But if that were the case, then Baekhyun should have noticed two sets of smells. Mated alphas were always proud to wear their mate's smell on their skin, so even if the alpha was alone, there would be a lingering second smell. All Baekhyun smelled was the nice brown sugar and chestnut smell, and he had to admit it made him relax and feel safe.

Maybe it wouldn't be all that bad to let the alpha continue to follow him. Maybe he could get lucky and the alpha would just follow him to protect him until he got to the walking trails near the Akaishi onsen. Then Baekhyun could blend in as another hiker and get to the bus and then to Fujikawa and a payphone and Junmyeon would help him and everything would work out and.. Oh who was he kidding. He had no idea why the alpha was following him. And he was getting way ahead of himself in the whole process.

Baekhyun looked at his watch. 4:56am. He had slept longer than he thought.

He pulled the map out and used the flashlight to study it, although he was still cautious about shielding the brightness, in case anyone else was in the area. There was still a chance his parents might have discovered him missing last night and already started a search party. Even if they hadn't yet, they would be finding out soon. In all reality, he would rather deal with the alpha than deal with them right now. Using the map and his compass, Baekhyun calculated he still had around 2 hours of traveling until he would get to a walking trail. In the meantime, the sun would be coming up in another hour, so by the time he would get there, anyone else on the trails would think he was just a regular hiker. 

Having made his mind up, Baekhyun looked at his compass one more time, then put it and the map away. He grunted as he got to his feet and brushed himself off. Out of habit, he ran his fingers quickly through his bangs, tidying his appearance, but then he chuckled at his actions, shaking his head as he put his backpack on. He couldn't be sure, but as he began walking, he thought he heard a faint responding chuckle. Baekhyun chose to ignore it, but he couldn't deny the faint smell of brown sugar and warm chestnut trailing in the air.

 

 

 

It had been about 30 minutes of fast-paced walking over uneven terrain before Baekhyun finally decided to do something he had been thinking of for a while. The faint smell of brown sugar and warm chestnut had stayed as a constant in the mountain air as he hiked. Taking a deep breath to brace his nerve the omega slowed down, coming to a complete stop at a large rock. He slipped his backpack off his back to locate the partially empty water bottle he had brought from the hotel in the side pocket then set the backpack and flashlight down on the rock. 

Opening the water bottle, Baekhyun took his time finishing off the rest of the clear liquid. The plastic wrapping of the hotel logo crinkled as he tried to not grip the bottle too tightly in his nervousness. Then he put the lid back on the bottle and carefully placed it on the flattest part of the rock. He slipped the backpack back on, picked up the flashlight and very deliberately looked at the empty bottle sitting on the rock. In a last gesture, the omega glanced slowly over his shoulder. 

Then he aimed his flashlight into the woods and started back on his journey, trying desperately to ignore the distinct sound of large wings flapping behind him. The feathers fluttering in the nature around him seemed to match the fluttering of his heart.

 

❍

 

🐺 - Chapter Five -

 

Just over half an hour later the rays of the sun were starting to peek through the treetops as the omega climbed towards another ridge. He was starting to regret not filling his thermos at a small strong-flowing stream he had crossed in the dark about 15 minutes earlier, but he hoped his decision before that at the large rock was not a mistake. Baekhyun consoled himself that if he had made the wrong choice, then there were two streams he had noted on the map that he would be coming upon soon, so he could just fill his thermos then. 

His mood had dropped a little over the last 10 to 15 minutes but he chalked it up to the fact that he hadn’t noticed the smell of brown sugar and warm chestnut as strongly during that time. But he couldn’t explain why he found this a little disconcerting. He didn’t think the alpha would lose interest in him, but he couldn't be sure.

Reaching the clearing at the top of the ridge, there were two things immediately obvious. The clearing was interspersed with rocks among the grassy area but it wasn't as large as the last one, and the ridge seemed to immediately plunge downward on the other side. This time it wasn't fear that kept Baekhyun from venturing into the open space. He knew he had to be smart.  

He pulled the compass out of his jacket and shone his flashlight on the face of it a little to make it light up and be easier to read. Then he began maneuvering through the trees that edged the outskirts of the clearing. He took steps carefully so as to not slip in the grass that was damp from the morning dew and the low-hanging clouds. The misty air was thicker in patches and the omega took slow deep breaths as he maneuvered through the thin underbrush. He kept his eye on the compass in one hand and moved his flashlight in a back and forth pattern a couple of feet in front of him to better see where he was going. 

As he came to the area where he needed to turn back into the woods the rays from the rising sun glinted off something a few feet to the left of him. Baekhyun paused, turning his head to look. He shone his flashlight over towards the rocks that were in the direction that he had noticed the anomaly. 

With the light of the flashlight along with the rising sun it was easy to see. Sitting on top of one of the rocks was a plastic bottle. It was full of clear liquid, shimmering in the morning sunlight. Baekhyun walked over to inspect it closer and instantly noticed a familiar logo on the plastic wrapping. He couldn’t help the small smile as he slipped the compass into his pocket then reached out to pick up the bottle. There was no mistaking, that was the one he had left behind earlier.

Placing the flashlight down in the rock, the omega carefully opened the bottle of water and raised it to his lips. He didn’t know if there was something wrong with the water or if it was clean enough to drink. The purification tablets were still in his bag and he could always add them later. But it had obviously been left for him and he wanted to show his thanks. 

Baekhyun closed his eyes and inhaled deeply as he raised the bottle to his lips. The smell of brown sugar and warm chestnut seemed to fill the air, creating a pocket of warmth where he stood. It felt incredibly intimate in a way. 

The omega took a small deliberate sip from the bottle. The cold liquid felt good running down his throat and his smile became wider. He took one more small sip then lowered the bottle, placing the cap back on tightly. Then he stretched to pull his backpack around his body enough to put the bottled water back into the side pocket where it had been before. 

Once again Baekhyun heard the fluttering of large wings and he turned his head to look in the direction of the sound. He didn’t feel as scared as he had before when he saw the same hawk flying from somewhere behind him and going towards a tall branch in a tree not too far ahead. The bird flapped its wings gracefully as it lit on the high branch and turned its head in the omega’s direction. Even with the distance, Baekhyun had a funny feeling the bird was looking directly at him. 

He quickly made another decision. Placing his hands together gently just below his waist, Baekhyun briefly closed his eyes and lowered his head at a slight angle in a respectful bow. The warm smell around him seemed to grow in strength but he didn’t dare turn his head to try to find the source as he kept his head down. Instead he opened his eyes as he slowly raised back up, looking back up to meet the gaze of the hawk that was still watching him intently from the tree. This time, the omega felt like the bird’s gaze was not predatory, but just curious. He held in a chuckle when he realized the feeling was mutual.

Baekhyun then picked up his flashlight and pulled his compass back out of his pocket. He shone the flashlight back on the compass for a moment to help it glow. Then he set back off, once again walking at a brisk pace and swinging the flashlight back and forth in front of him to light up the thicker areas of underbrush, making his way diagonally down the mountainside. 

There were still the sounds of nature all around him as he walked. But this time, instead of large fluttering wings, Baekhyun heard the sound of his footsteps echoing. Listening carefully as he walked he realized it wasn’t actually an echo of his own steps. It was a deliberate placement of a different, larger foot being set down every time the omega took a step.

The alpha was following him. Closely.  

 

❍

 

🐺 - Chapter Six -

 

Baekhyun valiantly fought to keep a calm expression on his face as he walked. 

But on the inside, his mind and his heart were both racing, struggling to keep up with the turmoil of emotions that he was feeling. The echoing footsteps were not getting any closer to him, but they did match his own step for step. It was as if the alpha no longer wanted to conceal that they were following the lone omega. 

Baekhyun wasn’t even sure whether he was feeling anxious or apprehensive about the alpha following him. The smell of brown sugar and warm chestnut was still very present but it was much less imposing, almost as an afterthought. It blended into the crisp mountain air that was getting clearer by the minute as Baekhyun got closer to the walking trails that would lead him to the Akaishi onsen. 

And that was also weighing on the omega’s mind. Would the alpha continue to follow him once he reached the trails? He had only been aware of the alpha for less than 24 hours, but it felt like so much longer. Strangely, Baekhyun had begun to consider the alpha’s presence a comfort, and he was shocked to realize he was now a little reluctant to part with his temporary guardian angel. He still didn’t know exactly what the alpha wanted with him, but the alpha had respectfully kept their distance.

By the smell and the weight of the echoing footsteps Baekhyun had come to the conclusion that the alpha was a male, but that was the only thing he knew. He didn’t know the alpha’s age or physical appearance. The hawk was connected to the alpha somehow, but Baekhyun wasn’t sure if it was the alpha’s pet, or simply a curious wild creature that just flew nearby when the alpha was around.

The more Baekhyun thought about all these things the more confused he felt. His steps had slowed and he realized he was only walking casually, without the distinct purpose he had held at the beginning of his journey. The footsteps behind him had also slowed, as though the alpha was determined to not impose on the omega. This thought was confusing but not unwelcome.Thinking of this and everything else that had happened over the last hours Baekhyun held out hope that the alpha was a gentleman.

The sunlight was now piercing through the trees, lighting up the forest enough that the light of the flashlight was no longer needed. Baekhyun stopped at another pile of rocks to pull his backpack off and put the flashlight away in the side pocket. He also drank more water from the plastic bottle before returning it to the other side pocket of the backpack. He hadn’t felt any differently since drinking the water earlier so he guessed the alpha had made sure to give him water that was fine to drink. This thought brought a smile to the omega’s face and he kept the expression for a few more minutes as he resumed his journey. The footsteps began a few steps behind him, continuing the same movement as before.

However, it was only a short amount of time before Baekhyun noticed movement over to the distant left of where he was walking. 

The omega stilled. He had been closer than he thought to the walking trails. And up in the distance two hikers were moving through the trees at a casual pace, using walking sticks and talking together. 

Baekhyun moved carefully between the trees to avoid being seen by the hikers. He checked his watch and was surprised to see that it was already 7:15am. He had been traveling over 2 hours since waking up at the hollow of the tree. His mother would be checking on him in his room in another 15 minutes. It gave Baekhyun a sense of satisfaction to know she wouldn’t hear his usual response this morning.

And now his journey would soon be over, which was supposed to be a good thing. But Baekhyun couldn’t help feeling a little melancholic about the situation. He lowered his head, looking down at his dirt-splattered hiking boots. But then the familiar sound of the flapping of large wings came up from behind him, flying almost directly over the omega’s right shoulder. Baekhyun flinched, looking up in surprise as he watched the hawk fly up to a branch in a tree not too far ahead of where he was heading. As the bird looked at him the smell of brown sugar and warm chestnut once again became noticeable, wrapping around the omega lightly and enveloping him in an invisible bubble of comfort. Baekhyun relaxed his shoulders and took a deep breath. The enticing smell mixed with the mountain air filling his lungs and calming him from the inside. He looked over to see the hikers had continued on, walking away from the area. There were no other hikers that he could see, so it would be the perfect time to join the hiking trail without suspicion. 

Baekhyun made a quick decision. Closing his eyes and lowering his head in a slight angle like before, he bowed towards the hawk. This time, however, he chose to speak his first words out loud since making his escape from the hotel at the Nishiyama onsen the day before. 

“Thank you.”

The omega’s words were in Japanese, but the simple statement brought a gasp from the alpha behind him. Baekhyun waited a moment but there was no other reaction. He lifted his head again, opening his eyes to see the hawk still looking at him. The omega smiled at the bird, no longer quite so afraid of the majestic animal. 

He shifted the backpack on his back, hitching it up a little more onto his shoulders. Then Baekhyun began walking towards the trail. 

This time, the footsteps following him were not matching his, but just hearing them continuing along with his own was enough. 

 

❍

 

🐺 - Chapter Seven -

 

Joining the trail had been easy. 

There was no one else in the cleared walking area, and the trail was flattened down with repeated steps of all the hikers from over the years. Baekhyun realized being on this smooth walking area he had sped up his steps without originally intending to do so. 

After walking the trail for about 20 minutes there were voices heard coming from the other direction. 

Baekhyun deliberately slowed his steps down a little. After all, he was coming down the mountain and he reasoned it would seem strange to other hikers if he was walking with a lot of energy. It would have to appear that he had set out to walk the trail very early in the morning as to now be heading in the opposite direction of all other hikers at this time of day. As expected, the footsteps behind him also slowed down, although Baekhyun noticed the steps seemed much closer than they had been the entire time they had followed him. 

As the hikers coming up the trail got closer, they stopped their conversation and moved to walk single-file to be able to pass in the narrow area. The hikers both bowed slightly as they passed, and the omega returned the gesture politely. The hikers smiled widely at him and judging by their eyes, they were also smiling at the alpha behind him. Seeing this made Baekhyun understand why the alpha had moved to be closer to him. This way he and the alpha would appear to be traveling together. Which, at the moment, they were. How quickly this arrangement might change was something the omega realized he did not want to think about. Just as he began to ponder more about this, the smell of brown sugar and warm chestnut once again swept around him in a soft comforting feeling. 

Baekhyun moved his hands to grip the straps of his backpack. With the enticing smell his heart felt lighter, but the backpack was starting to wear him out a bit. He reasoned this wasn’t a bad thing since it would be ok to appear tired now, considering any hikers they met would think he had hiked up the mountain and was now hiking back down. 

Interestingly, the backpack suddenly seemed a little lighter. He continued walking but Baekhyun also noticed the footsteps of the alpha were much closer than before. And an occasional huff of breath came over the top of his head, ruffling his hair. The lack of sway in his backpack let him know it was being held up by something other than just his own shoulders. 

The alpha was directly behind him, helping to hold up the backpack. 

Before Baekhyun could even begin to feel panicked about this, another hiker came up suddenly from around a rock in a steep diagonal bend in the trail. The surprise combined with the sudden realization of the alpha’s closeness had the omega on high alert and he brought his hands quickly up to his chest as he felt his hair standing on end with a rush of anxiety. Instantly a swell of brown sugar and warm chestnut flooded his senses and he felt a gentle deliberate pull on his backpack, making him come to a halt. 

The hiker’s eyes widened in surprise from the unexpected encounter, and the man’s shoulders hunched over in immediate humility. The hiker bowed deeply, mumbling apologies as he quickly skirted past the two and rushed to get further up the walking trail and away from the situation. 

Baekhyun wasn’t sure what to do from here. Should he thank the alpha? The anxiety he had felt was leaving almost as quickly as it had come. The alpha had stepped back, but now the backpack was slumping back down his back with its weight. Baekhyun almost wanted to turn around and ask why the alpha had stopped helping hold it, but he caught himself. There was no need to act like a spoiled weak omega. 

Baekhyun lifted his head and lowered his clenched hands, then began carefully negotiating around the rock and steep bend in the trail. He deliberately kept his eyes forward, not glancing in any peripheral direction. As he began walking again Baekhyun heard a grunt behind him, obviously from the alpha as he negotiated the sharp angle around the rock. Baekhyun slowed his steps just enough to hear the alpha begin walking behind him again, and then the omega sped up his steps, resuming the quick pace from before. Their footsteps echoed together in the woods as the alpha kept up with him.

The sunlight was streaming freely through the trees now. This meant the omega’s parents were definitely up and aware of his disappearance by now. Baekhyun felt both proud and anxious about this realization. He was so deep in his own thoughts that he didn’t notice he had sped up to almost a run. 

Until he stubbed his toe on an exposed root. 

He slowed down quickly but there was a slight chuckle behind him, and Baekhyun ducked his head sheepishly, his neck turning pink from the embarrassment and his eyes rolling at his own silly misstep. The smell of brown sugar and warm chestnut swelled around him again and Baekhyun gave his own chuckle before resuming his walking, still fast-paced but more cautious. 

Only a handful more hikers passed by, headed up the mountain trail, before Baekhyun noticed a building in the distance. The trail had gradually widened in the last half hour and now had pebbles scattered among the dirt and exposed roots from the surrounding trees. There were a few guiding markers attached to poles along the edge of the walking trail, and even a small stone statue of a happy Buddha sat on one of the flat rocks on one side. 

There was a different energy in the air, and the omega realized he was coming to the end of his journey through the mountains. 

He had made it to the Akaishi onsen. 

 

❍

 

🐺 - Chapter Eight -

 

The large yet humble hotel was a traditionally made structure with large wooden beams and support posts, and a quaint rustic atmosphere. Baekhyun liked the look of it immediately, and he couldn’t help smiling, bouncing on his feet a little as he walked the last few feet to the main entrance area. Although he intended to look for the bus stop that he knew should be close by, a large square red telephone just inside the open doorway of the hotel caught his eye. 

Baekhyun paused. He knew this was an old style public telephone, so it may not be in service. But if it still was in working condition, he might be able to place his call to Junmyeon sooner than he originally thought. This was too good a chance to pass up. 

The hotel clerk was behind the lobby desk. Baekhyun figured he could ask the clerk about the condition of the public telephone and, depending on the answer, make his collect call after that. He almost skipped up to the lobby desk in his excitement. 

The clerk turned towards him, but before the omega could speak the lady began talking.

“Good morning sir! You're back early today.. But don’t worry, your room has been cleaned like you asked and should be ready for your return.” 

Baekhyun blinked at the clerk in his confusion. But then he remembered the alpha trailing behind him. Of course. The alpha had probably been staying here, although that didn’t explain why he had been in the woods so far from this hotel. 

Baekhyun tried to sidestep so the alpha could greet the lady, but instead felt a pressure on his elbow, keeping him from moving. 

The omega in a quick breath. The alpha wasn’t letting him leave. 

Then, for the first time, Baekhyun heard the alpha’s voice.

“Thank you.”

The deep voice was warm and polite, but held a tinge of familiarity that was obviously aimed towards the clerk. 

The words were spoken in Japanese, but the effect the two words had on the omega was much more profound than Baekhyun liked to admit. He smelled the subtle aroma of brown sugar and warm chestnut again, and felt himself relaxing a little. The feeling made him pliant and before he realized what was happening, the omega was being guided down a hallway of the hotel. The further they walked away from the lobby, the less relaxed Baekhyun felt, and by the time they stopped in front of a doorway to a room halfway down the corridor he was positively shaking from trying to contain his nervousness. 

In his mounting panic Baekhyun had squeezed his eyes shut, so he didn’t see, but only heard the door to the room being opened. His eyes stayed tightly closed as the alpha gently pushed him through the open doorway, then closed the door behind them.

Baekhyun, an unmated, unaccompanied, mature omega, was in an alpha’s room. With no one to help him. 

He didn’t know what to do. 

The alpha had every right to demand retribution for his protection in the woods. He could demand ual favors or demand servitude or even blackmail Baekhyun into doing whatever he demanded. The alpha could make life very difficult for the omega and no one would be able to say otherwise. There was no way out. Baekhyun realized all this time he may have been walking into the lion's den and not even known it. Still standing in the foyer of the alpha’s hotel room, all of these thoughts and the despair that came with them weighed heavily on the omega’s mind and he dropped his head into his hands and began to weep silently. 

Within seconds the alpha began to panic in a whole different manner. 

“Oh my go- nononono please don’t cry..! Don’t cry..! You’re safe, I promise! You’re safe! Really! I won’t hurt you, I promise I won’t! Please..”  The words were in Korean and the deep voice of the alpha was rising in pitch even as he lowered the volume of his voice in an effort to not scare the omega even further. He had stepped away from Baekhyun, carefully and quickly moving further into the room so as to not be quite so close to the now sniffling omega. 

Baekhyun still had his head bent down but he peeked through his fingers and realized the alpha had put a respectful distance between them. The alpha’s dirty boots were only close enough for him to see that the man hadn’t even taken them off in his haste to move away from him. 

Seeing the omega peek through his fingers like that was adorable and the alpha couldn’t help his mumbled coo. “Cute..” 

Baekhyun heard it and he blushed a little, but was still wary about his current situation. He decided to be a little braver, and lowered his hands. But he didn’t want to disrespect or anger the alpha, so he kept his head down with his eyes still on the floor. He shuffled uncertainly in the entrance area of the room, unsure of what to do next. 

The alpha seemed to suddenly realize the position of the omega. “Oh! Please do come in and be comfortable. This- this is my room, but it’s a suite, so there’s plenty of room. I won’t- I won’t bother you or hurt you. I promise! Please..” he stammered in Korean and gestured at the rest of the room. The alpha’s words were accompanied by a small swell of the enticing smell that Baekhyun had grown accustomed to.

The alpha walked over to a sliding glass door and opened it, stepping out onto a small balcony. The sound of running water could be heard and Baekhyun realized outdoor air had blown in, stirring the stifled air in the room and mixing with the alpha’s comforting smell. 

He took a chance and looked up. He could see the broad back of the alpha as the man bent over to untie his boots. There was a chair and small side table on the balcony where the man was practically bent over in two as he worked on getting his footwear off. The sight was a little comical, and Baekhyun couldn’t help a giggled huff that escaped him. The alpha froze for a second in reaction to the sound but then continued to take his boots off. As he succeeded he raised back up with a smile and Baekhyun got his first real look at the man that had been his unexpected solace over the last several hours.

Tall. 

The most obvious thing about the alpha was only on Baekhyun’s mind for a second before all the other details about the man came rushing in. 

It was impossible not to notice the soft dark hair swept off a wide forehead, perfectly showcasing large almond shaped eyes, a friendly nose, plump lips, and a strong jawline. The rest of the man was covered in a puffy winter jacket and hiking pants, but the way the alpha took his breath away, Baekhyun was sure it was just as attractive. 

He couldn’t control the gasp that escaped him and he felt the strength leaving his body. The room began spinning and before either realized what was happening, the omega fainted.   

 

❍

 

🐺 - Chapter Nine -

 

.....mate. 

 

...Mine. 

 

..Mate… 

 

Mate.. 

 

Mate.

 

Mine.

MINE.

MATE.

MATE.

MATE!!

Baekhyun sat up with a loud gasp. He had never heard his wolf so clearly in his head before. 

Instantly the smell of brown sugar and warm chestnut surrounded the omega, gently reassuring him. He turned his head towards the strongest point. On the floor next to the thin traditional mattress where Baekhyun had been laying, the alpha was sitting on his , his long legs drawn up in front of him and his arms wrapped around his knees. He had taken off his jacket and laid it over Baekhyun’s chest, obviously meant to comfort as well as to warm him, since the balcony door was still open. When Baekhyun sat up the puffy material had slid down to half cover his legs. The alpha sat beside the omega’s covered legs with an anxious look on his face, as though he wasn’t sure what to say or do. 

Baekhyun had a sudden realization. The alpha was holding himself back. It was possible the man really was a gentleman. Maybe he would respect the vulnerable omega sitting next to him. If what Baekhyun’s wolf had said was correct, then the alpha was being very patient right now.  

Baekhyun let out the breath he had been holding. He gave a tentative smile as he ducked his head a little and spoke in his native tongue. “Hello..” 

The alpha perked up, looking less anxious. “Hello.” he responded quietly. He tipped his head to try to meet the omega’s eyes. “Are you.. feeling better?” he continued in Korean.

The alpha’s timid question had Baekhyun’s smile widening slightly. The alpha took this as a positive sign and straightened up, lowering his legs to sit cross-legged and squared his shoulders. He straightened the bottom edge of his untucked t-shirt then placed his hands casually on his thighs as he began speaking with a confident yet gentle tone. “I’m glad that you understand me.” He gestured to himself. “My name is Park Chanyeol. I am the oldest son of Park Sung-jin and third in line to the WhiteChord pack of Seoul, Korea.” He smiled softly. “And I am very happy to finally meet my mate. May I please know your name?”

Baekhyun knew of the WhiteChord pack. They were very influential with strong ties to music and entertainment in Korea as well as internationally. They had money and power, but never flaunted it, working behind the scenes to achieve what they wanted. And they always got what they wanted. 

Any omega would count themselves privileged to be mated to a wolf from that pack. And for once in his life Baekhyun felt himself very lucky to be an omega.

He moved to get on his knees properly so that he could bow low and present himself as a worthy and polite omega, but the alpha raised his hand, stretching it out as though to stop him. “No, please. Sit comfortably. I do not wish for formalities between us.” 

Baekhyun was briefly in shock at the alpha’s words, but he carefully schooled his features to look respectfully at the man. He tipped his head in a soft bow then began to speak. “Thank you for your concern and care for me, Chanyeol-shii. I am Byun Baekhyun, the only son of Byun JeongHoon. I am in debt to you for your generous protection on my journey.”

The alpha had been pleasantly surprised at the omega’s fluency in Korean, but as soon as he heard the name his eyes narrowed in understanding. He waited until Baekhyun was finished speaking before leaning forward to deliberately meet the omega’s eyes. “I am aware of your family and their business. There are many that hold them in high regard. However, there must be a reason you are here without them. I mean you no harm, but it angers me that my mate would be without protection in such a situation as you have been over the past 12 hours. Can you give me any explanation for this?” Although he didn’t appear angry, Chanyeol’s words were colder than Baekhyun had expected and he scrambled to explain why he had been hiking in the woods by himself. 

Baekhyun had a habit of using his hands and arms to gesture whenever he was deep in conversation, and as he told his story, this habit quickly became evident. The alpha bit back a fond grin as he watched the omega give his explanation. Baekhyun was unaware of the alpha finding humor in his gestures, so he worried that the expression on the man’s face meant he was doubting the omega’s words. Baekhyun’s anxious reasoning and flailing arms halted abruptly when the alpha caught his hand mid-air. Baekhyun stilled and waited with wide eyes for the alpha to speak. 

“You are more precious than words.” Chanyeol smiled softly at the omega. Baekhyun was flattered, but was also blushing from realizing how silly he must have looked to his mate with his gestures. However, the alpha’s affectionate look faded as he continued. “I’m sure your family was disappointed you were not there when they woke up this morning. They will surely be checking here as they search all the surrounding areas in their efforts to find you. If you still wish to contact your cousin I will happily lend you my phone for you to make arrangements with him, but it would not be wise to set out on foot to get to him with the search parties that have probably already begun, since they will likely find you quickly.”

This surprised Baekhyun. Junmyeon wasn’t actually expecting him since he hadn't informed his cousin of any of his plans. If Baekhyun were to leave the onsen he would still have challenges getting to the photographer’s place, and frankly he hadn’t thought things through too much after that.

Baekhyun could feel his wolf was already protesting the idea of being separated from his newly found mate. But the man had been so quick to make the suggestion. Baekhyun couldn’t help the insecure thoughts that were now creeping in. 

Did the alpha not want him? 

 

❍

 

🐺 - Chapter Ten -

 

Baekhyun was surprised to realize the idea that the alpha might not want the omega was deeply upsetting to him. Neither him nor his wolf was happy about that possibility. But Chanyeol had referred to him as mate, so that meant the tall handsome man wasn't completely rejecting him, right? 

As soon as the confusion had begun to show on Baekhyun’s face the alpha stopped talking and reached out to gently hold the omega's hand.  "What is troubling you? Are you worried your parents might try to hurt your cousin?" he asked. 

"No..  I just.. He doesn't even know about all this,  so it's not that at all. I was hoping that maybe..  I don't want to be a bother..  It's just.."  Baekhyun couldn't figure out how to express his worry without blurting it out rudely. He didn’t know how traditionally the alpha had been brought up, and he was worried it might anger the man if Baekhyun were to speak too brashly or act in a manner unbecoming of an omega. 

Feeling his mate's uncertainty, the alpha spoke encouragingly. "Please, speak freely. I will not be angry to learn what is on your mind."  

Baekhyun huffed and looked down at their joined hands.  The alpha misunderstood the look, thinking he had made his mate uncomfortable. He began to try to pull his hand away but the omega reacted quickly. "No-" Baekhyun blurted out, tightening his grip on the thick fingers and pulling Chanyeol’s hand closer. 

The action caught the alpha off guard and he lurched forward towards the omega, quickly placing his hand on the mattress next to Baekhyun's hip to prevent himself from falling. 

The close proximity of their faces made them both flush and Baekhyun ducked his head. But he desperately wanted to know, so he focused on their joined hands as he quietly and timidly asked.  "Do you not... want me?" 

The alpha visibly shuddered and he leaned even further in towards the omega. His voice rumbled in the thin space between them. "Oh little omega I want you so much.. you don't even understand how hard this is for me. Your smell drew me to you and I would have followed you to the ends of the earth if you had kept on walking." 

Baekhyun had almost stopped breathing when Chanyeol first started his explanation, but as the words registered he smiled and chanced a shy glance up at the alpha. "Really?"

Chanyeol leaned back to put a little space between them but squeezed the omega’s hand reassuringly as he returned the smile. "Really. When I first caught your scent I was so focused on you I almost went feral trying to get to you but Tony kept me grounded." 

Baekhyun flushed, flattered again, but then cocked his head in question. "..Tony?" 

Chanyeol smiled wider. "Antonio. He's my best friend." 

The alpha leaned back and shifted around to lift his other arm up in the air level with his shoulder, then gave a quiet but long, high pitched whistle. Within seconds a familiar flapping of large wings was heard and then the same hawk Baekhyun had seen when he was hiking the last few hours flew into the room through the opened balcony door and landed on Chanyeol's arm. Baekhyun startled and dropped their joined hands but then gave a quiet excited inhale, his eyes wide as he took his coat off and pushed it off to the side. He then cautiously got up onto his knees to be at a better level with the beautiful creature. 

The alpha carefully brought the bird closer to Baekhyun. "Baekhyun, meet Tony."  The hawk eyed the smiling omega with curiosity. Baekhyun looked at the bird with wonder and his own curiosity. 

Chanyeol was grinning from ear to ear.  "I know he likes you. You can pet him. As long as he's on my arm he'll let you."  

Baekhyun slowly reached his hand up, but then drew back a little. "Where- where should..? " he started, uncertain. The alpha answered by reaching for his hand and drawing it towards the area between the hawk's shoulders. Baekhyun felt his heart pounding and he couldn't help the look of wonder on his face as his fingers traced lightly over the feathers. The same feathers he had heard flapping at that first ridge. It seemed so long ago.

Chanyeol beamed as he watched the interaction, letting the omega enjoy the moment. The alpha waited until Baekhyun drew his hand back from the bird before he began speaking. "My work keeps me very busy, but I spend most of my time in Japan since I can do the bulk of my work remotely. I found this onsen about 6 years ago and realized that walking off the trails in the mountains around here helps me get my head clear and rejuvenated. And I’ve always loved staying here. The rooms and facilities are exactly the right kind of laid-back homey feeling. So after practically living here for a year, when the owner offered, I purchased this room and made it my second home. I've had Tony since I started taking care of him 4 years ago. I found him on one of my walks after he fell out of his nest as a little chirp-monster." The hawk made a quick screeching noise, making Baekhyun jump, which made the alpha laugh. Baekhyun started laughing as well and Tony fluffed his feathers as though indignant. This made Baekhyun laugh harder and his joyous peals echoed around the room. The hawk didn’t seem to mind, but Chanyeol stopped laughing to look with his own sense of wonder at the radiant omega. 

Baekhyun stopped laughing as he realized the alpha was looking at him with a look of adoration. "What..?" the omega asked, beginning to blush. 

The alpha didn't answer, but instead got up and went out on the balcony, allowing the hawk to climb onto the railing. As the bird turned to survey the treetops surrounding the hotel area, Chanyeol came back into the room and knelt down on the floor in front of the omega, mirroring their positions with their knees touching. Taking Baekhyun’s hand carefully but with a secure grip, the alpha looked pensive for a second, but then determinedly locked eyes with the omega. Baekhyun looked at him expectantly.

Chanyeol’s next words left the omega with his mouth hanging open in shock. 

“I’ve been thinking.. I don’t want to scare you, but if you are willing, I think- no, I know it would be best for me to claim you now.”

 

❍

 

🐺 - Chapter Eleven -

 

Baekhyun’s eyes stayed wide, unblinking as he closed his mouth slowly and gulped. “Um..”

The alpha reached out and took Baekhyun’s other hand. He began speaking with slow careful words, as though he was worried he would scare the omega that was now looking at him with an unreadable expression on his face. 

“Baekhyun, I know of your family and how relentless your father is in business. Adding that to everything that you have told me, I believe your parents will not stop looking for you until they’ve found you. And when that happens they will still make you have to go through with the marriage that they have decided for you. I also know of the alpha you are pledged to, and he is not a good man. Even if you and I were not mates it would still anger me to see you forced into such an undesirable union. I’m sure it would make you continuously unhappy and even though you’re a healthy young omega, your unhappiness would make it difficult for you to bear pups. And a union with this particular man would also put you in a bad light with anyone that you may wish to do business with in the future, if he were ever to allow you to have a formal occupation.” 

Baekhyun had a troubled yet understanding look on his face by this point.

Chanyeol’s look was firm but caring as he continued. “This is unacceptable for any omega in my opinion. Omega are smart, strong, bearers of children, and irreplaceable helpers to those that are lucky to be mated to them. You should be treated with the honor and respect you deserve. In a perfect world I would take my time courting you and raising you up onto the pedestal that a wonderful omega of your stature should be placed on. But unfortunately time isn’t on our side. The search parties have undoubtedly been sent out and will be here in a matter of hours, if not sooner.” 

Baekhyun blushed at the alpha’s sweet words but by the end of the explanation he was slowly nodding in understanding. He purposely locked eyes with his mate. 

“You’re probably right.. But.. if you were to claim me before they get here..” Baekhyun’s blush became brighter as his own words drifted off, but he couldn’t bring himself to look away from the now smiling alpha.

“Then they would not be able to take you away from me.” The alpha answered boldly, also blushing but confident. “And I promise I will protect you and take care of you,” he added reassuringly. 

Chanyeol waited to hear what the omega might say in response, but instead of talking Baekhyun decided to listen to his wolf. 

Doing what he felt was right, the omega leaned in and put his head against the alpha’s chest. The angle was awkward with the way they were both kneeling, but Chanyeol only faltered in surprise for a second before he was wrapping his arms gently and securely around the omega’s form. The two men relaxed in each other’s hold, obviously enjoying the impromptu embrace.

After a few seconds Baekhyun shifted his legs a little and Chanyeol moved so he could let his mate lay fully in his arms. The omega then spoke as clearly as he could with his face nestled into the alpha’s shirt. “You haven’t given me any reason to not trust you so far. And my wolf is very happy with this idea.”

Chanyeol bent his face down into the omega’s sweet smelling hair, breathing deeply as he answered. “Then it’s settled. And I promise I will do everything I can to help you become happy with the decision as well.”

“That’s two promises.” Baekhyun said, smiling as he smelled the enticing brown sugar and warm chestnut smell seeping clearly through the alpha’s shirt. He leaned back suddenly. “I just realized something.. The suppressants I take work really well with holding my scent back. But you said you could smell me yesterday, and you were sniffing me just now too...” 

Chanyeol smiled and brushed his fingers through the silky strands he had just been smelling. “When I was a child, my mother used to bake a lot. She had this one buttercream cookie recipe that made everyone’s mouth water. I loved eating those cookies and washing them down with hot chocolate. About 8 years ago, my mother passed away after a very long illness. I’ve not smelled the heavenly combination of buttercream and hot chocolate for a very long time. It must be something about being mates.. All I know is when I smelled you it was a hundred times stronger than anything in my memories.” 

Baekhyun couldn’t help the amazed look on his face. The alpha had loved his scent since childhood.

Chanyeol gazed back in wonder as he took the omega’s chin gently in his hand. “Somehow I think it’s fitting that my favorite smell in the world should center around the two people that are the most precious to me.” His smile turned affectionate as he let his fingers trace the omega’s soft face. Sensing no resistance, the alpha bent down and gently brought their lips together, kissing the smaller man in his arms. 

Although it was short, their soft peck left the omega breathless. His eyes had fluttered shut when the alpha had bent down, and he tried not to gasp as he inhaled through his nose, keeping his eyes closed. The kiss was perfect but it was also amazing to him that he could smell his own scent starting to push into the air, mixing and blending with Chanyeol’s enticing scent. 

Baekhyun’s mind was swirling but one thought pushed through, outweighing all the other issues on his mind. As he breathed out, he opened his eyes and boldly brought his own hand up to softly cup the side of the alpha’s face. The alpha looked back, equally breathless, and as their eyes met Baekhyun couldn’t help saying out loud what was at the top of his mind. 

“Alpha, you promised... Please, claim me.”

 

❍

 

🐺 - Chapter Twelve -

 

Chanyeol stiffened a little and carefully searched the omega’s eyes. “Are you absolutely sure? I don’t want you to resent me later..”

Baekhyun smiled as he brought his hand down from the alpha’s face to rest on the man’s broad shoulder. He felt very comfortable and couldn’t help teasing a little. “Are you doubting your mate already? And here I thought we understood each other..” he said with a lilting tone.

The alpha gave a playful growl and pushed himself over, using his size to his advantage to pin the smaller omega on his back where he now laid on the thin mattress, giggling as he looked up at the alpha. Chanyeol propped himself up on his arms as he leaned over and gave the giggling man a quick peck on the nose. “What I understand is that you are an absolute minx and seem to enjoy teasing..” He leaned in again and this time deliberately nuzzled the omega’s neck under his ear. 

Baekhyun stopped giggling but he kept the smile on his face as he drew in a quick breath. “A-Alpha..” he half-whispered as his heart raced. 

“Chanyeol.” the alpha corrected. 

“Chanyeol…” The omega’s voice drifted off as the alpha continued nuzzling his neck, placing kisses along his carotid artery. The breeze blowing in occasionally from the outside was cool but did nothing to lower the rising temperature of the air between their bodies. Baekhyun took in a deep breath before speaking shakily as the alpha continued his kisses. “M-my heat isn’t due for another 3 w-weeks...so I don’t think..your claim will trigger-”

The alpha pulled back slightly to meet Baekhyun’s eyes. “Maybe not a full-blown heat, but if you find that you are needing me it’s ok. I’m right here and you are my first priority. If anything it will be harder for me to hold back than you.” 

The omega blushed but didn’t look away. “Thank you. For everything. I’m very lucky..” he smiled shyly. 

Chanyeol returned the smile then leaned back in towards his mate’s neck. “We’re both lucky.” he said huskily before nosing lower on the omega’s throat, pulling on Baekhyun’s shirt to stretch it away from his neckline. 

Baekhyun realized what the alpha intended to do and he took a deep breath and relaxed his shoulders. The alpha read his body language perfectly and smiled before starting to on the area right at the juncture of the omega’s neck and shoulder. Just as Baekhyun began to relax even more into the intimate gesture he suddenly felt the alpha’s sharp teeth pierce his skin, sinking in deeply. He whimpered a little but kept his sounds to himself as he concentrated on the end result. Through the pain Baekhyun could feel his own blood flowing out from his skin, over his shoulder and onto the bedding below him. 

Just as the pain began to feel overwhelming, Chanyeol retracted his teeth and began at the wound he had just inflicted, trying to keep as much of the blood off of the omega’s shirt as possible. Within seconds the bleeding stopped and Baekhyun realized the pain had greatly subsided. He felt floaty, like he was having an out of body experience, but with a slight level of danger combined with a suspicious tingling in his groin area. He felt very happy and couldn’t help giggling. 

Chanyeol leaned back to look at his giggling mate. The alpha had an equally happy look on his face and he his lips in an effort to clear the blood that was still smeared on his mouth from the bite.

Baekhyun grinned up at the alpha, unable to contain his glee. He slung his arms up around the alpha’s neck, pulling the man back down to bring their faces close together. “We are both lucky.” he repeated. 

Before the alpha could say anything, Baekhyun impulsively pulled the rest of the way to smash their lips together in an uncoordinated kiss. In his eagerness the omega didn’t realize he had opened his mouth, which Chanyeol took as an invitation to quickly push his tongue in and explore the new territory. Baekhyun gasped and whimpered against the alpha’s mouth in his innocent reaction, which made the alpha pull back, breathing heavily. 

“I’m- “ “I’m sorry..” they both blurted out at the same time. 

Chanyeol chuckled at their shared reaction. Baekhyun had turned a lovely shade of dark pink over his embarrassment and the alpha couldn’t help cooing at the flustered man in his arms. He propped himself up on one arm and shifted his weight to lay the rest of his body beside the omega on the side away from the claim mark, aligning their torsos. 

Baekhyun started to gaze up at him, but then remembered where his wound had bled. “The blood..” he gestured over his shoulder to the bedding, but the alpha shushed him. “It’s ok. If anything, it will be even more of a proof of our being mates.” 

Baekhyun looked bashfully back up at the alpha and gave a small smile. “..yes.”  His response was met with the alpha leaning over and embracing him, fully wrapping his arms around the smiling omega. Chanyeol turned his head to nuzzle once more at the omega’s ear. “You’re perfect.” 

Baekhyun continued to smile as he turned his head towards his mate. Their lips met once more, dancing together to a beautiful unspoken melody as they both moved their arms to better embrace each other. Warm chestnut and buttercream mixed with brown sugar and hot chocolate in the air. Baekhyun still felt that suspicious tingling in his groin area and he noticed it felt stronger than before.

Just as everything around them began to feel thicker and warmer, there was a loud sudden commotion in the hallway, and angry words could be heard through the door. Chanyeol pulled away from his mate just enough to be able to focus on the flustered omega’s face. Baekhyun giggled at a strand of saliva that briefly strung between their lips before breaking off. The alpha grinned back at him but more noisy yelling in the hallway made him turn to look at the door. 

Baekhyun gripped at the sleeve of the alpha’s shirt. “I know that voice.. It’s one of my father's bodyguards.”

“Well it's too late.” Chanyeol turned back to look at his mate. “This beautiful omega is mine. “ He grinned and pecked the omega quickly on the lips then pulled back and sat up. Then he put a hand out offering to help Baekhyun get up. “Ready to face the music?” 

“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.“ Baekhyun took the offered hand and gripped it tightly as he stood up from the floor. 

Chanyeol gave their joined hands a reassuring squeeze before leading them over to the door. He looked down to meet the eyes of the omega that was standing closely at his side. 

They nodded at each other. 

The alpha then reached out and opened the door.

  

❍

 

🐺 - Chapter Thirteen -

 

The commotion in the hallway was even louder with the door opened. 

The front desk clerk was trying to restrain an angry man by pulling on one of his arms. The man was dressed in a guard’s uniform and holding a large flashlight in one hand, waving it around in the air above his head as he yelled. Another man in a similar outfit was talking loudly to both of them. A third man dressed in a suit had a phone in his hand and was yelling at all of them in an effort to be heard over the din. A couple of other doors in the hallway had been opened by hotel room occupants hearing the commotion, and a few had stepped out to observe the excitement.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol stood silently, waiting for the group of people to stop yelling. 

The clerk was the first to notice them and she quickly let go of the man’s arm and came over to the new couple, bowing and stammering apologies in broken Korean. Chanyeol smiled reassuringly at her but dropped the smile, quickly adopting a stern expression as the other men began to realize what was going on. The man in the suit had whirled around at the clerk’s apologetic words and before she was done talking he stormed over and used his phone to gesture accusingly at the omega. 

However, before the man could make any coherent sentence, Chanyeol had stepped fully in front of his mate and growled, loud and menacing. The other two arguing men abruptly stopped at the sound and the man in the suit took a step back at this, looking up at the tall alpha. Chanyeol had about half a foot of height on the now startled bodyguard, and his obvious dominance made him even more imposing. 

Baekhyun tugged on his mate’s shirt, making the alpha turn slightly which allowed the man in the suit to see him again. The omega huffed at the man’s glare and deliberately stepped out from behind his mate, squaring his shoulders and looking very pointedly at the fuming bodyguard. 

“Inform my father that I will not be returning with you.” Baekhyun said in his native tongue, his voice cold towards the bodyguard. “I will not be subjected to my parents plans for me. I have every right to refuse as they have never had my true interest at heart. Instead,” The alpha clenched Baekhyun’s hand encouragingly as he continued. “From this point forward I will no longer be living under their roof. I will collect my personal items at a later time, but all they need to know is that I am with my mate.” To push the subject home, Baekhyun deliberately pulled his shirt beside his neck to show the new claim mark. 

The clerk looked hopeful, half understanding the omega’s words but as soon as she saw the mark she squealed once and clapped her hands excitedly. The two men in guards uniforms looked visibly upset and the bodyguard spluttered incoherently. 

During all this time Baekhyun had noticed the tingling he felt in his groin area was turning into a stirring and the longer he stood there the stronger the stirring was becoming. He had to lock his knees to keep them from trembling at the sensation. Just the air hitting the new wound had made his insides flare in an unexpected warmth that he had never felt before. Baekhyun let go of his shirt and turned slightly towards his mate as he bit back a whimper, but couldn’t stop himself from gripping the alpha’s hand a bit tighter in reflex. Chanyeol had been looking proudly at his mate during Baekhyun’s declaration of independence, but at the grip he cocked his head further to be able to look his mate in the eyes. One glance was all it took. The subtle smell of buttercream and hot chocolate had already begun to drift into the air as the alpha smoothly pulled Baekhyun’s hand up and tucked it lovingly over his arm. Chanyeol then turned back to the small audience in the hallway. 

The alpha spoke firmly and loudly in Japanese for everyone in the hallway to hear. “Although no apology is needed I give one anyway for what will be transpiring over the next hours. My mate and I are newly coupled and we plan to let nature take its course however we see fit. So if you will excuse us..” Ignoring the guards and the now aghast bodyguard, Chanyeol nodded politely to the broadly grinning clerk and the rest of the occupants of the hallway as a whole, then turned and maneuvered the now blushing and very warm omega back into the room, shutting the door and locking it behind them. 

As they walked back into the room a couple of heavy knocks resounded on the door. Both men flinched but ignored the pounding. The yelling from before started again but then moved away from the door, quieting as it drifted towards the hotel lobby.

Baekhyun turned to look at the alpha. Chanyeol gave him an encouraging smile and ushered him further into the room, seating him back on the mattress on the floor. But the omega was puzzled when the tall man whirled around, his eyes searching for something. The alpha gave a small “Aha!” then went over and picked up a cell phone that was sitting on a small table in the corner of the room. He brought the phone to Baekhyun, plopping down on the floor next to him as he handed it over. 

Baekhyun looked at the phone, puzzled. Chanyeol was quick to explain. “I’m guessing as soon as your parents find out what’s going on they're going to start getting into your personal accounts and such, so I figured you might want to go ahead and change passwords and keep them from getting to any money you might have too.” 

Baekhyun lit up like a Christmas tree. “Brilliant!” His fingers started flying over the keys on the phone. “I have such a smart mate…” he mused, smiling and fluttering his eyelashes briefly at the now blushing alpha.  Chanyeol put his hand behind his head in an “aww shucks” gesture as he grinned back.

For the next couple of minutes Baekhyun worked furiously using the alpha’s phone, accessing his personal information and changing passwords. At the very end he sent a text message to his cousin, giving a brief overview of what had happened, warning him of his parents' probable fury and promising to give more details in a few days. By the time he had finished, the omega had a small bead of sweat along his brow and his insides had moved so far beyond stirring he was convinced there was a whole herd of elephants in there.

The alpha looked a little bewildered as Baekhyun flung the phone backwards towards the head of the bed, but then the sweet smell of buttercream and hot chocolate began to overpower everything else in the room. Chanyeol reacted by growling deep and loud in his chest, quickly leaning over Baekhyun until the omega was on his back again with his large mate looming over him.  

The omega gave a whimper, grabbing his mate’s shirt.  “Chanyeol.. You promised.” 

 

❍